Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s official visit to Timor-Leste reinforced bilateral cooperation through new agreements, expanded economic opportunities, and continued support for Timor-Leste’s ASEAN integration.
Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong concluded his Official Visit to Timor-Leste from 2 to 3 July 2026, during which both countries reaffirmed their longstanding bilateral relationship and agreed to strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors. The visit resulted in the signing of a new bilateral consultation framework, additional ASEAN capacity-building support, and new measures to enhance economic collaboration.
The visit formed part of Singapore’s ongoing engagement with Timor-Leste and reciprocated Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão’s Official Visit to Singapore in July 2025. During the visit, Prime Minister Wong received a ceremonial welcome at the Presidential Palace, called on President Dr José Ramos-Horta, and held bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Gusmão. He was conferred the Order of Timor-Leste (Grand Collar) by President Ramos-Horta in recognition of his contributions to advancing bilateral relations and Singapore’s support for Timor-Leste’s ASEAN membership.
Source: Facebook/Vivian Balakrishnan
During their meeting, Prime Minister Wong and Prime Minister Gusmão reaffirmed the warm and longstanding ties between Singapore and Timor-Leste. They agreed to deepen cooperation in areas including trade and investment, development assistance, and people-to-people exchanges. The two leaders also reaffirmed their shared commitment to international law and a rules-based multilateral system, recognising its importance for small states.
As part of efforts to strengthen institutional cooperation, both Prime Ministers witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of Bilateral Consultations, creating a formal platform to advance dialogue and cooperation between the two governments. Prime Minister Wong also announced additional ASEAN-related capacity-building programmes to further support Timor-Leste’s integration into ASEAN.
In support of expanding economic cooperation, Prime Minister Wong announced that Timor-Leste would be designated as an approved Non-Traditional Source country for Work Permit holders from the second half of 2027. The designation will allow Singapore companies to employ Timorese workers in the Construction, Marine Shipyard, Process, selected Manufacturing, and Services sectors, contributing to greater workforce mobility and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Source: MFA Singapore
